Yosemite National Park on Wednesday announced its largest expansion in seven decades with the donation by a conservancy group of a large meadow surrounded by trees that will be home to dozens of endangered species.
Ackerson Meadow at the western edge of the park was purchased from a private couple earlier this year by the Trust for Public Land for US$2.3 million and donated to the US National Park Service, a Yosemite spokeswoman said.
Robin Wainwright said he and his wife, Nancy, sold it to the Trust at a slight loss, but they preferred that it go to Yosemite so the public could enjoy it, rather than selling it to developer.
Photo: AP / Robb Hirsch / The Trust for Public Land
The gift of 161.87 hectares of land marks the largest expansion of Yosemite, which was first protected in 1864 and encompasses nearly 3,108 square kilometers in central California, since 1949.
“It’s a big open meadow surrounded by forest land. We’re very excited. This pristine meadow is going to provide habitat for a number of protected species,” park spokeswoman Jamie Richards said.
Among them are two endangered species of owls.
Among the major contributors to the purchase were the nonprofit Yosemite Conservancy, the National Park Trust and American Rivers.
The park said the land is especially important because it consists of a meadow. While just 3 percent of Yosemite is meadows, they are home to one-third of the plant species found there.
Yosemite Conservancy president Frank Dean said in a statement that Ackerson Meadow had been included in the original boundary plans for the park, which was inspired by the advocacy of Scottish-American naturalist John Muir.
“Donating the largest addition since 1949 to one of the world’s most famous parks is a great way to celebrate the 100th birthday of our National Park Service — and honor John Muir’s original vision for the park,” The Trust for Public Land president Will Rogers said.
Yosemite regularly ranks among the top US tourist attractions. It drew 4.3 million visitors last year.
Additional reporting by AP
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